Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus

Author: LyraDhani

“1.6 million copies…?”

“Rounded up, it’s 1.7 million….”

“Waaaaah! It’s 1.7 million! 1.7 million!!!”

Baek Suhyeon practically leaped down from the top bunk and wrapped Jegal Hwi in a tight hug.

“Waaaaaaaah! We sold 1.7 million copies! 1.7 million!!!”

His shout was loud enough to shake the entire dorm.

“We sold 1.7 million!!!”

Naturally, Joo Wooyoung, Kim Haejun, Jung Taehee, and Kim Taeyeol, who had been in the other rooms, all threw open their doors and crowded into the tiny bedroom.

“Really? For real?! 1.7 million?”

That was Kim Taeyeol.

“Unha… w-we did it….”

That was Jung Taehee.

“Is it true…?”

That was Kim Haejun.

What followed was the same scene as before. Just as they had when they first saw the NewTube views, they began to embrace each other and jump around, celebrating their joy.

‘Is this like some monthly ritual or something?’

Do they really have to express it like this every single time?

But regardless of my internal questioning, smiles were blooming on everyone’s faces. Even Joo Wooyoung’s. He had that pure, childlike expression of joy I’d seen once before.

I couldn’t tell if he was happy because they sold 1.7 million copies or if he just loved these high-energy moments with the members, but he blended in with the group so well it was hard to believe he was actually in his mid-twenties.

Of course, to me, it wasn’t a sight I could simply enjoy.

‘Wait, can he really be that happy in this situation? Weren’t he and Jegal Hwi sharing some cryptic conversation just a moment ago?’

It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy, but given the circumstances, I couldn’t be entirely at peace. How could I rejoice without a care in the world when I didn’t know what Joo Wooyoung and Jegal Hwi had discussed regarding me?

Then again, there was room for a more optimistic interpretation. If the talk with Jegal Hwi had gone poorly, Joo Wooyoung probably wouldn’t be able to smile so sincerely. Even if we’d sold 1.7 million albums, he wouldn’t have been able to hide his bitterness. Plus, he currently had his arm around my shoulder… so maybe….

‘Can I assume nothing’s wrong… at least for now?’

Maybe they decided to put my disposal on hold, or maybe the conversation moved toward observing me a bit longer. Or, I wondered if Lee Unha was even the topic at all. Perhaps they’d been talking about some enormous issue that made my personal circumstances seem trivial by comparison.

I stole a glance at Jegal Hwi’s face. As usual, his expression was unreadable, but it was clear he was genuinely pleased about the 1.7 million sales.

‘He… doesn’t seem to have much on his mind either, does he?’

“…….”

‘Then why on earth are you….’

Why was he so obsessed with every single move [Kingdom] made, as if his life depended on it?

“…….”

‘No. No. Let’s not think about it now.’

“…….”

‘Thinking about it will only give me a headache. Everyone else is celebrating. If I’m the only one sitting here overanalyzing everything, that’ll just make me look suspicious.’

Completely letting my guard down would be foolish. But becoming obsessed wasn’t any better. Prying into things alone out of unnecessary anxiety would yield a result worse than doing nothing at all.

‘Act natural.’

Yes, as naturally as possible. For now, I should focus on this and melt into the group. Forcefully pushing all those unanswered questions back into the corner of my mind, I threw myself into the middle of the celebration.

To be honest… It wasn’t as though I wasn’t happy. No, to be perfectly honest, I was incredibly happy. If it weren’t for my personal problems, I’d be jumping for joy like Baek Suhyeon.

This was a result achieved by our own hands—by <Fantasia>. Recalling everything that happened during Idol Classism, it was impossible not to be thrilled. Especially after remembering all the conflicts with Crown and Kang Hyuk.

And above all… there was a sense of achievement. A massive sense of accomplishment enveloped me. Unlike Joo Wooyoung or the others, Lee Unha had never achieved anything with my own hands, which made this moment even more moving. The only reason I wasn’t showing it was because I was, as always, keeping my emotions to myself.

“1.7 million!”

“Waaaaaaah!!! 1.7 million!!”

“Crazy! Insane! It’s 1.7 million! 1.7 million!”

“Look at the combined Shorts views.”

“It surpassed 300 million. 300 million for short-form alone… Wait… was our challenge really that popular? I can understand the Shorts, but how did the NewTube views get this high? Why… why do you think they’re so high, Unha?”

“I… I don’t know. The overall quality was really high, and people kept talking about it here and there… maybe it just hit the algorithm right. They said it was popular overseas, and Idol Classism was a huge hit to begin with. Looking at the reaction videos, it seems the video itself helped more than the music. Actually….”

“We didn’t manage to take back #1 on the digital charts, though.”

As the mood dipped slightly into regret… Kim Haejun looked around and continued.

“Actually… I think reaching #2 is amazing. Boy groups are usually stronger in physical sales than digital charts. Many boy groups sell millions but can’t gain traction in the digital market. Of course, fandom streaming can push you up for a bit… but like I’ve always said, being chosen by fans and being embraced by the general public are two different things. There are also differences in listening preferences depending on gender…”

“Ah….”

“Of course, being in the top ranks is largely thanks to the fans. Like Unha said, the MV and the challenge probably had an impact… but the fact that our music is still on the charts means….”

“Yes.”

“It’s proof that <Fantasia>’s music works for the public. Or more accurately, isn’t it proof that the public has acknowledged us?”

“Whoa… waaaaah….”

I stopped Baek Suhyeon just as he was about to shout again because it seemed Kim Haejun still had more to say.

“It means we made the unfamiliar familiar….”

“Yes.”

“And it means we’ve captured the ears of male fans as well.”

“Ye…es….”

“It still feels like this is only the beginning… but I just want to tell everyone that you’ve all worked incredibly hard.”

The atmosphere turned heartwarming. Jung Taehee wore an expression that asked why Haejun was giving a speech when he wasn’t the leader, but that was a common dynamic in <Fantasia>.

I had ended up as the leader, but the one closer to the traditional leader role was actually Kim Haejun. Even when the group was first formed, there were debates about whether he should be the leader…. Crucially, his knowledge and composure were a huge help to the group.

And… I also appreciated that he never let his pride get in the way of supporting me. This time was no different. He was subtly pushing me forward as though nudging me to say a few words.

“I… I don’t have much to say. Everyone worked hard… and I just want to say let’s stay focused. I think the real work starts now.”

“…….”

“No, it starts today.”

“…….”

“Everyone already knows what our schedule looks like starting today, right?”

“…….”

“Honestly, the members aside… I really didn’t trust the company. But looking at it now, I don’t feel that way anymore.”

“…….”

“When they said they were printing 1 million copies, I thought it was just talk… but we actually hit 1 million. Of course, <Fantasia> is different from other rookie groups… but the business department actually predicted we’d sell over a million and printed them. They never even assumed we wouldn’t sell. That’s why they printed that many. In the end, the company achieved the goal they initially set. The planning is the same. The management, too. I don’t like everything about it, and their methods might vary, but… our staff… they’re smart.”

“…….”

“It’s the same this time. They haven’t said it out loud yet… but I think the company has decided they’re going to do everything they can to get Fantasia our first music show win. And I think… it’s possible.”

It was an easy fact to deduce. Immediately…. Starting today, the entire schedule was packed with broadcast appearances.

It was a contrast to last week, which focused on internal activities—like self-produced content or performance videos to build our internal foundation. Now, the schedule was filled with TV appearances. Variety shows, all sorts of things.

Most of them were variety shows, but it was almost as though the company had declared it would burn Fantasia’s faces into the public’s memory through sheer exposure.

‘There’s some NewTube stuff, but… it’s mostly with the three major broadcast networks.’

Another important point was that there were very few schedules involving all the members at once. Cases where two, three, four, or even individuals had to move. Since moving the entire group everywhere would obviously be inefficient, the company had split us up strategically.

‘Looking back, the timing feels a bit late… but I bet that’s calculated too.’

The buzz from Idol Classism had literally swept the nation. Normally, once a survival show like that ended, contestants would spend their time appearing everywhere, telling behind-the-scenes stories and capitalizing on the attention.

Personally, I thought it was a very smart choice. We’d been so busy preparing for debut that the initial hype from Idol Classism had already begun to cool. But once people saw concrete numbers… Names that had quietly sunk beneath the surface would naturally rise again. When word spread that a rookie group hit 1.7 million right at debut, public interest would inevitably gather. And public interest led directly… to the call of the media.

I looked at the members once more.

“Haejoon hyung said this before, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“That broadcast scores are important.”

“Right.”

“The only thing we’re lacking right now is broadcast points from each network. Our digital chart performance isn’t No. 1, but it’s strong. Our album sales are excellent. Our SNS scores speak for themselves.”

“…….”

“We’ll be splitting up to promote shortly after debut… But wherever we’re assigned, let’s all give it everything we’ve got.”

“…….”

“Let’s take first place.”

“…….”

“Let’s go after it with everything we’ve got.”

***

I’d said that to the members, but….

‘I’m supposed to show determination… but… is this really the right way?’

I never imagined things would get weird from the very first step.

‘Why am I appearing on this show?’

As if completely unaware of the turmoil in my head, Director Oh came into view, smiling proudly as though asking me to praise him.